JPS6127313A - Drive assembly of pre-load - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention relates to universal joints. More particularly, the present invention relates to a new preloaded motor vehicle drive assembly.

In most prior art universal joints, torque is transmitted from one yoke to another via two vertical axes through the hub. Hubs are made of metal or plastic and range in shape from square to spherical. Since the universal joint rotates through a non-zero angle, it pivots on these two axes.

SUMMARY OF THE PROBLEM Universal joints wear out with use, resulting in gaps or play between adjacent moving mechanical parts. For example, hubs often pivot about pivot pins arranged along two vertical axes. With the use of a universal joint, the diameter of the pin changes slightly as the pin begins to wear, and the opening or hole into which the pin is seated also begins to wear, especially if the hub is made of plastic. When such wear occurs, the universal joint operates too loosely, which of course is undesirable.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made in view of the above, and provides a one-piece, specially shaped hub or joint member that directly connects the drive shaft to the driven shaft, and a predetermined connection between the drive shaft and the driven shaft. The object of the present invention is to provide a universal joint with a simple structure in which a load is applied directly and excessive play is prevented.

In summary, the present invention comprises a coupling member that connects the ends of a drive shaft and a driven shaft in an overlapping relationship. The coupling member has a slot on one side for receiving the end of the driven shaft. The long pin enters the appropriate opening in the coupling member. The long pin traverses the slot and passes through a suitable opening in the end of the driven shaft. A pair of diametrically opposed short pins are inserted into appropriate openings in the coupling member. and their axes are aligned and perpendicular to the axis of the long pin. Each short pin extends into a suitable opening in the drive shaft end. The joint shape also has a central preload opening perpendicular to the intersection of the long pin and short pin axes and extending into the slot of the joint member.

action The preloading mechanism according to the invention is in contact with the drive shaft.

It passes through the preload opening and contacts the driven shaft to apply a preload N directly to the drive and driven shafts to tighten up looseness due to clearance or play between adjacent moving mechanical parts due to wear.

The invention and its many advantages will be explained in detail below, together with the accompanying drawings.
You will be able to understand it better from this explanation.

EXAMPLE As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a new drive assembly includes a drive shaft 10 having a bell-shaped end 12. As shown in FIGS. The inner surface of the bell-shaped end 12 is formed by the rear wall ILl, the upper and lower straight walls 16.18 and the curved extension walls 20.22 (see FIG. 2).

Centered upper and lower openings 21+ and 26, respectively, pass through the respective upper and lower portions 27 and 28 of the bell-shaped end 12 at right angles.

The two coupling members are housed within the bell-shaped end 12 of the drive shaft 10. The two coupling members include two diametrically opposed curved rear surfaces 30 and 32 adjacent to the curved surfaces 20 and 22, respectively, of the bell-shaped end 12 (see 2). The two coupling members are connected to the straight inner wall 16 of the bell-shaped end of the drive shaft 10.
and upper and lower annular planar surfaces 3 in contact with and 18 respectively
4 and 36 as well.

The slot 8 is provided on the front surface 110 of the coupling member 29. The front surface UO is spaced from the bell-shaped end 12 of the drive shaft 10. The slots 38 are located on the curved rear surface 112° and on the upper and lower half surfaces 1lLl16. and the side plane II8.50 (see FIG. 2). Surfaces [15 and 117, which are inclined outwardly from planes I4 and 46, respectively, extend from the upper and lower half-surfaces I114 and I+6, respectively.

Centering side ports 52 and 511 are located in the center of the side curved surfaces of the two coupling members and extend vertically through the coupling member 29 into slots 3g. In addition, the two joint members are the drive shaft 1
0 bell-shaped end openings 211 and 26 and centering lower openings 55 and 56, respectively. Upper opening 55 and lower opening 5
6 is shown extending into slot 38. However, if desired, the lower opening 55 and the lower opening 56 can be inserted into the slot 3.
You can prevent it from reaching 8. Bell-shaped end 1 of drive shaft 10
2 and the axes of all openings in the two coupling members intersect at a common point. This prevents destabilizing effects due to changes in the rotational speed of the shaft from one axis to the other.

The driven shaft 60 has one end inserted into the joint member slot 8. The end of the driven shaft 60 is curved to match the curved rear wall lI2 of the slot 3g. The driven shaft 6 adjacent to the inclined surface 115 and 1+7 of the slot 5g
A thickness of 0 means that the drive shaft 10 and the two joint members are connected to the driven shaft 6.
Pivot movement up and down with respect to 0 is limited.

The curved tip of the driven shaft 60 is connected to the side opening 5 of the two joint members.
2.511 and an aligned lateral opening 62.

The long pin 70 enters the side ports 52 and 51+ of the joint member, traverses the slot 3g, and passes through the opening 62 of the driven shaft. Short pins 72 and 74 enter upper opening 211 and lower opening 26, respectively, of bell-shaped end 12 of drive shaft 10. short pin 72
．． 711 also extend into the openings 55 and 56 of the two coupling members, respectively.

As the drive assembly is used, the pins 70.72 and 711 tend to wear, so their diameter decreases slightly at various locations. Opening 211.26.52.5
11 and 62 are also prone to wear. Furthermore, other adjacent moving mechanical parts are also prone to wear. As a result of all this wear, the pin begins to fit loosely into the opening.

Therefore, as the pins, apertures, and other adjacent moving mechanical parts wear out, the two shafts are preloaded to constrain movement and prevent them from becoming too loose.

There is a preload opening 80 in the center of the rear face 82 of the coupling member 29 to provide a preload. A preload opening go extends through the two coupling members to the rear of the slot 38. Aperture 80 is perpendicular to the intersection of the axis of long pin 70 and the alignment axis of short pins 72,711.

The preload mechanism is in contact with the drive shaft 10 and has a preload opening go
The preload is directly applied to the drive shaft 10 and the driven shaft 60 by penetrating through the shaft and coming into contact with the driven shaft end. This preloading mechanism includes a plunger 8IIf of a diameter sufficiently small to ensure a slip fit inserted into the preload opening 80 prior to assembly of the long pin 70 and short pin 72, ILl. Plunger g4 has a flanged head with a spherical radius 88 at the top.

An axial counterbore 90 is machined into the drive shaft 10 with an axis aligned with the axes of the apertures 80 in the two coupling members. The coil spring 92 is located at the deepest part of the counterbore 90 and functions to maintain the preload. A cylindrical plunger 911 of a diameter small enough to ensure a slip fit is inserted into counterbore 90 and contacts preloading coil spring 92 . With the final assembly of the coupling member 29 and the shaft 10.60,
Flanged plunger 811 engages plunger 911 to provide a preload. The coil spring 92 is the drive shaft
・Press 10 to Furuzuke 1 in Figures 1 and 2.

Coil spring 92 also applies a force to the end of driven shaft 60 through cylindrical plunger 911 and flanged plunger 84, pushing driven shaft 60 to the left in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, the preload is applied to the drive shaft 10 and the driven shaft 60.
This has the effect of pushing the parts against each other and tending to tighten any looseness due to clearances or play between adjacent moving mechanical parts due to wear.

The two coupling members are made of metal or plastic.

This new drive assembly can be used for the same purpose as other U-joint devices. However, the applications for which this drive assembly is particularly suitable are:

This is the driving wheel column of a car where the driving wheels can be tilted to make the driver more comfortable. In that case.

The driving wheels are mounted on top of the drive shaft 10, and the sloped surfaces 115, 117 of the slot 38 extend at a predetermined angle, ie 15 degrees, relative to the axis of the drive shaft 10. this is,
Limited amount of drive wheel tilt with respect to driven shaft 60
I will provide a. The drive shaft 10 and the two joint members are long pins 7
It is possible to turn a predetermined amount to zero rotation. The spherical radius head 88 of the seven-flange plunger 811 serves to ensure smooth operation of the drive arm coupling throughout its operating range.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional side view of a preferred embodiment of the invention. 2 is a partially sectional plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A joint member that connects the ends of the drive shaft and the driven shaft in an overlapping relationship and has a slot on one side and receives the end of the driven shaft into the slot, and a suitable opening in the joint member. elongated pins inserted across said slots and passing through appropriate openings in the end of the driven shaft, each inserted into an appropriate opening in the coupling member so that their respective axes are aligned perpendicular to the axis of the elongated pins and are connected to the drive shaft. A drive assembly for a motor vehicle wheel column having a pair of diametrically opposed short pins extending into suitable openings in the ends, the coupling member being centrally located and perpendicular to the intersection of the axes of the long and short pins. a preloading aperture extending into a slot of a coupling member; and a preloading mechanism that contacts a drive shaft and extends through the preload aperture to contact a driven shaft. 2. The drive assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that said preloading means includes a preloading spring. 3. The preloading means also includes a plunger of the coupling member passing through the preload opening, the drive member having an axial counterbore, and a preloading spring disposed in the counterbore to connect the plunger to the driven shaft. 3. The drive assembly of claim 2 further comprising a coil spring biasing the drive assembly. 4. The claim further characterized in that the coil spring is disposed in the deepest part of the counterbore, and the cylindrical drive shaft plunger is disposed in the counterbore and biased by the coil spring toward the head of the coupling member plunger. Drive assembly according to clause 3. 5. The slot-forming surface of the coupling member has a shape for predetermined pivoting about the long pin, and the plunger of the coupling member has a spherical radial head. Drive assembly as described.